Apparatus for tensioning and joining the ends of metal binding strapping, wire, and the like around a body



Dec. 23, 1

Filed Jan. 16, 1950 2 w J. KEEBLE 2,522,460

APPARATUS FOR TENSIONING AND JOINING THE ENDS OF METAL BINDINGSTRAPPING, WIRE, AND THE LIKE AROUND A BODY 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Dec. 23,1-952 APPARATUS FOR TENSIONI NG AND BINDING STRAPPING, WIRE, AN FiledJan. 16, 1950 w J KEEBLE 2,622,460 TAL JOINING E ENDS OF ME 0 THE LAROUND A BODY' 2-SHEETS-SHEET z Patented Dec. 23, 1952 APPARATUS FORTENSIONING AND JOINING THE ENDS OF METAL BINDING STRAP- PING, WIRE, ANDTHE LIKE AROUND A BODY William John Keeble, New Malden, England, as-

signor to Packers Supply Company Limited, New Malden, England, a Britishcompany Application January 16, 1950, Serial No. 138,716 1 In GreatBritain February 1, 1949 2 Claims.

It is well known to apply metal binding strapping, wire and the likeabout objects and bodies such as barrels, bales, crates and the like,making use of machines which serve to anchor one end of the strapping orwire and to draw upon the other end while overlapping the anchored end,to tension the strapping or wire about the object or body, theoverlapping ends after tensioning being joined in various ways, e. g. bythe application of deformable sealing members to the two overlapped endsand deformation thereof together with parts of the overlapped ends, byjointing of the overlapped ends directly to one another or again in thecase of wire by twisting the overlapped ends together.

Machines of this kind as hitherto constructed have included a mainsupport, carrying means to anchor one end of the strapping or wire andfurther means for moving the other end of the strapping or wire throughthe machine to tension it and a platform formed at least in part byparts of the anchoring means and suitable to form a stable basepermitting the machine to be rested upon the body or object to be bound.

With these machines both ends of the strapping or wire extend over theplatform and parts of the anchoring and tensioning means when themachine is in use so that when the binding operation is completed theplatform and those parts of the anchoring and tensioning means must beremoved from between the tensioned and joined strapping or wire and thesurface of the bound body, an operation sometimes involving difficultyand inevitably attended by some slackening of the tension on thestrapping or wire.

Whilst such machines and the methods of using them are entirelypractical in the binding of cases, bales and the like as used formerchandising they are unsuitable for use in tightly binding strappingor wire around bodies of less than a given size since in many cases itis not possible to accommodate the platform and other parts of themachine within the loop of strapping or Wire of the size to be formed,whilst in other cases when such accommodation would be possible, theremoval of the machine parts from within the loop after tension'mg andjoining involves such a degree of slackening of the tension on thestrapping or wire as to render the binding operation useless.

The object of the present invention is a method of and means fortensioning metal strappin or wire about a body and joining the endsthereof, without the need for removal of any parts of the tensioningmeans from between the body and the tensioned strapping or wire oncompletion of the tensioning and joining operation so that the fulltension on the joined loop of strapping or wire is maintained.

As an example only, the improved method and means is well adapted foruse in securing lagging or like material on pipes or tubes of even quitesmall diameter, tensioned and joined loops of one inch diameter and evenless having been satisfactorily produced.

The improved method according to the invention consists in disposing oneend of the strapping or wire, in retained engagement with a connectingmember, looping the strapping or wire and passing the other end thereofthrough an aperture in the connecting member in the direction away fromthe loop and, with the looped part of the strapping or wire envelopingthe body to be bound, tensioning the strapping or wire by drawing thesaid other end through the aperture in the connecting member by means ofa tensioning tool applied outside the loop of the strapping or wire andmaking abutting engagement, in reaction to the tension of the strappingor wire, with the surface of the part of the strapping or wire beingdrawn through the aperture in the connecting member and at the point ofits emergence therefrom, and after tensioning, moving the tool aboutsaid point of reaction abutting engagement as a fulcrum to bend thestrapping or wire to form a hook making retaining engagement with theedge of the aperture in the connecting member.

The connecting member for use with flat metal strapping may be in theform of a flat metal plate having a transverse slot of a width somewhatgreater than double the thickness of the metal strapping to be used, thefirst end of the strapping being bent to form a hook which is insertedin the slot in the connecting member and engaged over one of the longeredges thereof and the strapping then being looped and the other endpassed through the same slot in the direction away from the loop.

The hook at the other end of the length of looped and tensionedstrapping is formed, with the tension maintained, by folding or bendingthe strapping by movement of the tool, about the point or line ofreaction abutting engagement between the tool and the strapping, in thedirection away from the first book, so that the outer parts of the twoend hooks in the finished condition of the tensioned and formed loop,extend in opposite directions along the outer surface of the slottedplate which itself lies close to the periphery of the tensioned loop ofstrapping.

The connecting member may be provided with upstanding flanges at thoseedges at right angles to the transverse slot, suitable to be bent downover the outer parts of the hooks to protect them against accidentaldeformation and consequent disengagement from the connecting member.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of the tensioning toolin one position occupied during the operation of tensioning a length ofstrapping about a pipe.

Fig. 2 is a figure similar to Fig. 1 but with the parts of the tool inother positions occupied during the operation of tensioning.

Fig. 3 is a view in end section on the line III-III of Fig. l, and

Fig. 4 is a view in end section on the line IV-IV-ofFi l.

. Fig.5 is a view on alarger scale of a part of the tool andillustrating the method of forming the joint after tensioning.

Fig. 6 is a View in perspective showing a preferred form of theconnecting member.

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective showing the connecting member and themanner of forming the loop prior to the tensioning operation.

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective of the connecting member and a loopafter the tensioning and joining steps have been executed and Fig.9 is aview in plan of a finished joint.

In the case illustrated'the tool for tensioning the wire or strapping isconstructed for one- -hand operation and comprises a support in the formof a flat plate I having a fixed handle lever 2 extending from one edgeand having a pair of gripping members mounted for movement onsaid-support I and operable with the aid of a second handle lever 3movable relative to the 'firsthandle 2,to grip and move the strapping orwire in one direction with an intermittent or step by step motion as thehandles 2 and 3 are moved towards and away :from one another. One of thesaid pair of gripping members is formed by a plate 4 mounted for rockingmovementabout a pivot formed by a pin 5 fixed in "the support, saidplate 4 at its lower end being provided with an outward lateralprojection 6 the upper surface of which is provided with serrations.Upon the rocking plate 4 above the lat eral projection 6 is mounted apawl 'I capable of limited pivotal movement about a pivot pin 8 carriedon the rocking plate 4, and provided at its lower 'end with a serratedsurface 9 at the side towards the lateral projection 6 on the rockingplate 4.

'The pivot 8 of the pawl I is'located so that the serrated surface 9 ofthe pawl may be moved into and out of engagement with the serrated uppersurface of the lateral projection 6 on the rocking plate 4.

On the same pivotal axis 5 as the rocking plate on the support I, ismounted a disc or block I I! having a projecting arm forming the secondhandle 3 and extending in theplane of the handle lever 2 of the supportI.

In the lower edge of the disc or block I is formed a notch I I in whichengages a nose II on the pawl I.

Thedisc or block I6 is freely movable, within limits, about the pivotrelative to the rocking plate'4 and the arrangement is such that with alength of strapping l3 extending'betweenxthe serrated surfaces 6 and 9of the lateral projection and the pawl I respectively, movement of thehandles 2 and 3 towards one another by one hand, against a compressionreturn spring I4 disposed between the handles, first rocks the pawl Iabout its pivot 8 on the rocking plate 4 in the clockwise direction inFigs. 1 and 2, so that the strapping I 3 is gripped between the serratedsurfaces 6 and 9, and thereafter the pawl I and the rocking plate 4 aremoved as on by the lever 3 in the counterclockwise direction in Figs. 1and 2 about the pivot pin 5 on the support I, and the gripped strapping'movedin the general direction of the arrows in Figs. 1 and 2. 'Movementof the handle levers 2 and 3 by'the return spring I4 away from one'anotheri. e. from'the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 1, first movesthe pawl I on the rocking plate 4 counter-clockwise about its pivot 8,to release the grip on the strapping I3 and thereafter the pawl 1 androcking plate 4 are free to makea return movement e.-g. through theengagement of the second handle 3 with a pin I5 projecting fromthe'rocking plate 4.

To prevent a return movement of the strapping I3 when released by thepawl I, a one-way gripping device for the strapping is provided on thesupport I at the side of the rocking plate 4 away from the handle levers2 and 3.

This one-way gripping device is formed by a lateral projection I6 at thelower edge of a plate 33 rigid with'the support I, in generalalignmentwith the lateral projection 6 on the rocking plate 4 and having aserrated upper surface II, a pawl I8 pivotally mounted on a pin I9 fixedon the support I above the lateral projection I6, the pawl I 8 beingalso provided with a serrated lower surface 20. The pawl I8 is biasedabout its pivot I9 by a spring 2I in the direction to engage and gripstrapping I3 extending between the lateral projection I6 and the biasedpawl I8.

The disposition of the pivoted pawl I8 is such that it yields againstits spring 2| to permit'the strapping I3 to slide freely on the lateralprojection I6 when the strapping is drawn in one direction by movementof the handlelevers 2 and 3 on the tensioning means in the mannerpreviously described, but is urged by the spring 2I into the position toengage and grip the'strapping I3 to prevent movement thereof in thereverse direction when released from the grip of the parts 4 and 1 ofthe handle operated tensioning means.

A handle 22 is provided on the one-way gripping pawl I8 to enable it tobe rocked to part it from the lateral projection I Gby hand to permitinsertion and removal of the strapping I3, whilst the rocking plate 4and the pawl I are normally held parted by the compression spring I4between the handles 2 and 3.

In accordance with the present invention the tool is provided at one endi. e.'the end away from the handle levers 2 and 3 with a projection 23in general longitudinal alignment with the lateral projections I6 and 6on the support I and on the rocking plate 4 respectively, saidprojections 23 being of longitudinally tapering forrn'terminating in ablunt transverse edge. The upper surface of the projection 23 mayconveniently merge into the upper surface I! of the lateral projectionI6 of the one-way gripping device, as clearly shown in Fig. 7, the saidsurface I1 being preferably of slightly convex form as shown in thelongitudinal direction.

A connection member suitable for use in connecting the ends of the loopof tensioned fiat metal strapping comprises a flat metal plate 24 (Fig.6) having a transverse slot 25 located midway of the length of the plateand of a width somewhat greater than double the thickness of the metalstrapping l3, and provided with upstanding edge flanges 26 at the edgesof the plate 24 at right angles to the transverse slot, the flangesbeing preferably of a width slightly less than half the width of thebody portion of the plate 24.

In the end of one of the handles of the tool, e. g. the handle 2 in thecase illustrated, there may be formed a notch 29 into which is insertedand fixed, a hard metal block 30 having a transverse slot 3| at itsouter end of a size to receive a short length at the end of a piece ofthe strapping, the outer side of the handle 2 and the block 30 beingchamfered as shown at 32. By the insertion of the end I3 of a piece ofstrapping l3 into the slot 30 as shown in Fig. l and folding thestrapping about the outer side of the handle, a hook can readily beformed at the end of the piece of strapping.

It will be noted as shown in the drawings that the gripping portion(lateral projection 6) of the first gripping member and the grippingportion (lateral projection iii) of the first part of the one-waygripping device and the projection 23 are all located on one side of aplane parallel to the axes of pivots 5, 8 and I9 and passing through thetool and that the second gripping member 1, the second part of theone-way gripping device (pawl 18), the levers 2 and 3 and the pivots arelocated on the opposite side of said plane. This provides a simplecompact structure which can easily be operated manually with one hand.

The invention is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 of the drawings as applied tothe formation of tensioned loops of fiat metal strapping about laggingmaterial 2! wrapped around a pipe 28 of relatively small diameter.

The operation of forming and joining the ends of such tensioned loops isas follows:

The end 13' of a piece of strapping I3 is inserted in the slot 3| at theend of the handle 2 and the strapping folded about the chamfered end ofthe handle 2 in the manner previously described with reference to Fig. lto form a hook on the end of the piece of strapping IS.

The hook thus formed at the end of the strapping is hooked over one edgeof the transverse slot 25 of a connecting member 24 in such manner thatthe bent extremity l3 of the strapping lies in the trough between theflanges 25 of the connecting member (Fig. 6). The strapping, is nowlooped and the other end, i. e. the end remote from the hooked end,passed through the slot 25 of the connecting member 24 from the sidethereof remote from the flanges 26 and caused to project over theextremity 13 between the flanges 26.

Such looping of the strapping usually takes place simultaneously with'encirclement of the pipe by the strapping but it will be understood thatin the case of a pipe with an accessible free end the loop in thestrapping may be formed first and then applied over the pipe end.

With the loop thus formed and surrounding the pipe, the portion of thestrapping threaded through the connecting member 24 is now inserted intothe tool between the parts l6 and [8 of the one-way gripping device andthe parts 6 and l of the tensioning device and when so inserted thestrapping between the connecting member 24 and the one-way grippingdevice 16, I 8 extends over the end projection 23 on the tool.

The handles 2 and 3 of the tool are now caused to approach and recedefrom one another to cause the strapping l3 to be drawn step by stepthrough the tool to first take up the slack in the loop and as thiscontraction of the loop takes place the end projection 23 is guided intoa position in which it rests upon the outer surface of the part l3 ofthe preformed hook between the flanges 2E of the connecting member 24and engages the underside surface of the part of the strapping l3extending from the slot 25 in the connecting plate 24 towards the tool.

As tensioning proceeds the extremity of the end projection moves intoabutting engagement with the strapping at a line on said undersurface ator close to the slot 25 in the connecting member as shown in Figs. 1 and2 and is retained in such abutting engagement by the tension reaction.Movement of the handles 2 and 3 is continued until the required degreeof tension on the strapping i3 is achieved, this tension beingmaintained by the one-way gripping device l6, 18 of the tool.

The tool is now swung as a whole about the fulcrum formed by theextremity of the end projection 23 in engagement with the strapping [3at or very close to the slot 25 in the connecting member 24, in themanner indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5. The strapping I3 is thus bentabout the edge of the slot 25 opposite that with which the first hook itwas engaged, so that another end hook it is formed which serves with thefirst hook I3 to retain the loop of strapping as tensioned.

The one-way gripping device l6, l8 which serves to maintain connectionbetween the straping and the tool during the above described swingingmovement, traverses a substantially circular 'arcuate path about saidfulcrum so that substantially the full tension is maintained on thestrapping during the operation of forming the second hook.

The tool may now be disengaged from the strapping and since no part ofthe tool has been located inside the loop, this involves no slackeningof the tension in the loop.

The strapping may now be sheared at a selected point spaced from theslot 25 in the connecting member 24 in any convenient manner, and theedge flanges 26 hammered or otherwise folded down towards one anotherand over the hook ends l3 and it" as shown in Fig. 9.

Whilst in the above described embodiment of the invention the firstmentioned end of the strapping is provided with a hook for engagementwith the connecting member, it will be understood that other methods ofconnection of the first engaged end of the strapping with the connectingmember may be employed and in some cases lengths of strapping with anintegral or permanently attached connecting member at one end may beemployed.

I claim:

1. A tool for use in tensioning metal strapping or wire about a body andjoining the ends thereof by an apertured connecting member through whichthe strapping or wire is passed, said tool comprising a support, a firstgripping member pivotally mounted on said support at a pointintermediate the ends thereof, and having a gripping portion, a secondgripping member pivotally mounted on said first gripping member, a leverprojecting beyond one end of the support and operatively connected withsaid second gripping member and adapted when moved in one direction,first to move said second gripping member and grip strapping or wireextending between said first and said second gripping members andthereafter to move said first and said second gripping members and thegripped strapping or wire together relative to the said support, andwhen moved in the other direction first to move the second grippingmember relative to the first gripping member to release the grip on thestrapping or wire extending between the said first and the said secondgripping member and thereafter to move the said first and the saidsecond gripping members relative to the said support and the strappingor wire, a one-way gripping device, including a first part fixed withregard to the said support and provided with a gripping portion, and asecond part mounted on the support intermediate the ends thereof andmovable with respect to the said support and adapted to allow strappingor wire to pass freely through it in the direction in which thestrapping or wire is moved by the said first and second grippingmembers, but to hold it against movement in the reverse direction, andan end abutment formed by an outward extension of the support at the endthereof remote from said lever, adapted to making abutting engagementbetween the said apertured con11ecting=member and a part of the strapping or wire extending through and from the aperture in the saidconnecting member to the tool, in opposition to the direction ofmovement imparted by the said lever to said first and second grippingmembers to tension the strapping or wire, the end abutment, the grippingportion of the first gripping member and the gripping porticn of thefirst part of the one-way gripping device being disposed on one side ofa plane parallel to the axes about which the gripping members arepivotally mounted and passing through the tool, and the second grippingmember, the lever, and the second part of the one-way gripping deviceand the pivoting axes being disposed on the opposite side of said plane.

2. A tool for use in tensioning metal strapping or wire about a body andjoining the ends thereof by an apertured connecting member through whichthe strapping or wire is passed, said tool comprising a support, a firsthand lever rigid with said support and extending beyond one end thereof,a first pivot carried by the support at a point intermediate the endsthereof, a first gripping member pivotally mounted on said pivot andhaving a gripping portion, a second pivot mounted on said first grippingmember and having its axis parallel to the axis of the first pivot, asecond gripping member pivotally mounted on said second pivot, a secondhand lever also extending beyond the said one end of the support andpivotally mounted on said first pivot for movement in a plane containingthe first lever and operatively connected with said second grippingmember and adapted when moved in one direction, first to move saidsecond gripping memll-O ber and grip strapping or Wire extending betweensaid first and said second gripping members and thereafter to move saidfirst and said second gripping members and the gripped strapping or wiretogether relative to the said support, and when moved in the otherdirection first to move the second gripping member relative to the firstgripping member to release the grip on the strapping or wire extendingbetween the said first and the said second gripping members andthereafter to move the said first and the said second gripping membersrelative to the said support and the strapping or wire, means to biassaid first and said second hand levers away from one another, a one-waygripping device including a first part fixed with regard to the saidsupport and having a gripping portion and a second part mounted on thesupport intermediate the ends thereof and movable with respect to thesaid support, and adapted to allow strapping or wire to pass freelythrough it in the direction in which the strapping or wire is moved bythe said first and second gripping members, but to hold it againstmovement in the reverse direction, and an end abutment formed by anoutward extension of the support at the end thereof remote from saidfirst hand lever and said second hand lever and adapted to make abuttingengagement between the said apertured connecting member and a part ofthe strapping or wire extending through and from the aperture in thesaid connecting member to the tool, in opposition to the direction ofmovement imposed upon said part of the strapping or wire by the saidfirst and second gripping members upon relative movement of the saidfirst and the said second hand levers to tension the strapping or wire,the end abutment, the gripping portion of the first gripping memher andthe gripping portion of the first part of the one-way gripping devicebeing disposed on one side of a plane parallel to the axes about whichthe gripping members are pivotally mounted and passing through the tool,and the second gripping member, the levers, and the second part of theone-way gripping device and the pivoting axes being disposed on theopposite side of said plane.

WILLIAM JOHN KEEBLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,495,995 Flora June 3, 19241,619,766 Riordan et a1. Mar. 1, 1927 2,075,720 Hoffmann Mar. 30, 19372,100,601 Harvey Nov. 30, 1937 2,175,478 McKee Oct. 10, 1939 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 595,841 France July 25, 1925

